Andrea B. Hellman's Blog: Pages of Play: Inspiring Young Minds

I'm excited to share that "Uno Takes Flight" is currently in review! As I've been working on this story, Amaya's character has started to grow on me. She's a curious and insightful young girl, and her bilingual diaries are a wonderful way to capture her sharp observations of the natural world.

"Uno Takes Flight" is the sequel to "Wings of a Color". In this new book, we follow Amaya as she continues her journey to becoming a balanced Spanish-English bilingual. Through her diaries, she not only expands her knowledge but also develops the language of science by recording her observations. This story is especially dear to me because it’s inspired by my own experiences watching cardinals raise their chicks in the hedges outside my home year after year.

A few years ago, I posted about the real "Uno," a fledgling cardinal who had a close call when he hit his head on my windowpane. For what felt like an incredibly long fifteen minutes, he lay there looking lifeless, and I felt the same panic his parents did. Thankfully, he eventually revived, and I spent the rest of the day watching over him to protect him from the many vultures in the area. This experience left a lasting impression on me, and I knew it was a story I wanted to share.

In "Uno Takes Flight", Amaya's diary entries bring this story to life, blending her observations with her bilingual skills and love for the natural world. It’s a narrative that celebrates scientific curiosity, the beauty of language, and the importance of understanding and protecting our environment.

I hope you’ll find Amaya’s journey as inspiring and educational as I do. Stay tuned for more updates as "Uno Takes Flight" moves closer to publication. Thank you for being part of this journey with me!

I am thrilled to announce that I have received the author's copies of my latest book, "One Fine Day"! As I flipped through the pages, I was delighted to see how well the new style of illustrations turned out. For this book, I experimented with a high-resolution crochet texture, similar to the technique I had previously used in some of my digital paintings, such as "Theatrical Dreams" and "Warm and Fuzzy Cat".

The 3D effect created by these textures is truly mesmerizing, and it's hard to resist the urge to reach out and touch the pages. In fact, the tactile nature of the illustrations almost steals the show from the story itself! The textured artwork adds an extra dimension to the reading experience, making it even more immersive and touchy-feely.

"One Fine Day" is a charming bedtime story that takes readers on a journey through the recollections of a day spent outdoors in the park. The narrative is structured in a way that allows readers to notice the entire ecology of the park, from the tiniest creatures to the majestic trees. To create this story, I drew inspiration from some of my most memorable observations in Lake Springfield Park and carefully wove them into the events of a single day.

The characters featured in the book are based on the countless photographs I have taken over the years. However, the illustrations in this fuzzy book bring them to life in a way that photographs never could. The clarity and sweetness of these characters on the page are captivating.

I am excited to share a snippet from "One Fine Day" with you to offer a glimpse into the inviting world that awaits readers within the pages of this book.





I hope you will enjoy this tactile experience in storytelling as much as I enjoyed creating it. "One Fine Day" is now available on Amazon. Let me know what you think. https://amzn.to/4e76siU

Thank you for your support, and happy reading!

Hello and welcome to my blog, Pages of Play!

As a mother of three young adults and a dedicated teacher educator, I’ve always cherished the moments spent reading with my children. These times were not just about the stories themselves, but about the foundation they laid for their education. Decades ago, my trek began with introducing my love for storytelling in language school programs in Hungary. Later, I had the joy of teaching third-graders for three summers, where story reading was a free and lighthearted activity. In the years that followed, I read with pre-schoolers and Kindergarteners in an inner-city child development program.

For the past 15 years, I have observed teachers in the classroom and taught both pre-service and in-service teachers who work with developing multilingual students. These experiences have profoundly shaped my understanding of education and the incredible potential of children’s literature.

When I write books, I draw on these rich experiences, imagining my stories being read at home by parents like you or in the classroom by teachers who love books. I envision the children's responses to each page, aiming to amplify the opportunities for learning from every sentence and image. My goal is to create engaging, educational books that make learning effortless and fun.

In this blog, I look forward to sharing my journey of developing children's books, discussing the creative process, and exploring how these books can be powerful tools in education. Together, let's inspire a love for reading and learning in the next generation of young minds.

Thank you for joining me on this exploration!